Package delivery management systems and methods

Abstract

A system and method for tracking and managing package delivery within a distribution network. Many events happen during the processing, moving, and delivery of a package. Systems and methods herein identify whether all expected events occur, whether scan locations are correct, whether delivery times are met, and other requirements. Problems or potential problems can be identified and corrected.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for distributing items, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a plurality of item processing equipment in a distribution network, scan data, the scan data comprising item information; 
 storing, in a memory, one or more delivery rules for each of a plurality of delivery categories; 
 receiving item information for the plurality of items received in the plurality of item processing equipment, the item information comprising data for the plurality of delivery categories; 
 analyzing the data for the plurality of delivery categories for the plurality of items according to one or more delivery rules; 
 determining that each of the plurality of items is exempt or non-exempt from the one or more delivery rules; 
 determining, in a server, that the data for one or more of the plurality of delivery categories for the plurality of items which are non-exempt initially fails one or more of the delivery rules for a corresponding delivery category; 
 determining, whether additional data is needed for the one or more of the delivery categories initially failing the one or more of the delivery rules for the corresponding delivery category; 
 receiving, in the server, the additional data; 
 determining, in the server, based on the additional data, whether any of the plurality of items associated with the data for the one or more of the plurality of delivery categories which initially failed the one or more delivery rules finally fails to meet one or more of the delivery rules; 
 identifying a potential processing equipment failure based on the determining any of the plurality of items finally fails to meet the one or more delivery rules; and 
 automatically redirecting one or more of the plurality of items away from the processing equipment identified as a potential failure; 
 and 
 based on identifying the processing equipment as the potential failure, automatically causing, by a server, the processing equipment identified as the potential failure to be inactivated. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the item information comprises scan information and location information. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving, in an interface, a request for delivery performance information, and wherein the request for delivery performance information comprises a request for information for a subset of the plurality of delivery rules. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the request for delivery performance information comprises a selection of geographic area. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein requesting item information comprises requesting the item information for the plurality of items which are associated with the selected geographic area. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising identifying a potential processing equipment failure within the selected geographic area. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the request for delivery performance information comprises a selection of a period of time. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein requesting item information comprises requesting the item information for the plurality of items which are associated with the selected period of time. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating, for each of the plurality of items, a score based on determining whether any of the plurality of items fails to meet the one or more delivery rules and generating an overall score for the plurality of items based on the determined scores for each of the plurality of items. 
     
     
       10. A system for distributing items, the system comprising:
 a memory storing one or more delivery rules for each of a plurality of delivery categories; 
 a plurality of item processing equipment in a distribution network, each item processing equipment comprising one or more scanners, the plurality of item processing equipment configured to: 
 receive a plurality of items; and 
 generate scan data for the plurality of items, the scan data comprising item information; 
 one or more processors configured to:
 receive, from an interface, a request for delivery performance information; 
 receive the scan data for the plurality of items, the scan data comprising data for the plurality of delivery categories; 
 analyze the data for the plurality of delivery categories for the plurality of items according to one or more delivery rules; 
 determine whether each of the plurality of items is exempt from the one or more delivery rules; 
 determine that the data for one or more of the plurality of delivery categories initially fails one or more of the delivery rules for a corresponding delivery category; 
 determine, whether additional data is needed for the one or more of the delivery categories initially failing the one or more of the delivery rules for the corresponding delivery category; 
 receive, in a server, the additional data; 
 determine, based on the additional data, whether any of the plurality of items associated with the data for the one or more of the plurality of delivery categories which initially failed to meet one or more delivery rules finally fails to meet one or more of the delivery rules; 
 identify a potential processing equipment failure based on the determining any of the plurality of items finally fails to meet the one or more delivery rules; and 
 automatically redirect one or more of the plurality of items away from the processing equipment identified as a potential failure; 
 and 
 based on identifying the processing equipment as the potential failure, automatically, cause the processing equipment identified as the potential failure to be inactivated. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the item information comprises scan information and location information. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the request for delivery performance information comprises a subset of the plurality of delivery rules. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the request for delivery performance information comprises a selection of geographic area. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to request the item information for the plurality of items which are associated with the selected geographic area. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to identify the potential processing equipment failure within the selected geographic area. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the request for delivery performance information comprises a selection of a period of time. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to request the item information for the plurality of items which are associated with the selected period of time. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate for each of the plurality of items, a score based on determining whether any of the plurality of items fails to meet the one or more delivery rules and to generate an overall score for the plurality of items based on the determined scores for each of the plurality of items. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying a plurality of geographic areas of the distribution network; 
 determining a score for each of the plurality of geographic area based on the items of the plurality of non-exempt items delivered to delivery points within the each of the plurality of geographic areas which initially or finally failed one or more of the delivery rules; and 
 causing item processing equipment to route additional items to areas having a score above a threshold. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 identify a plurality of geographic areas of the distribution network; 
 determine a score for each of the plurality of geographic area based on the non-exempt items of the plurality of items delivered to delivery points within the each of the plurality of geographic areas which initially or finally failed one or more of the delivery rules; and 
 cause item processing equipment to route additional items to areas having a score above a threshold.